Someone in the crowd started laughing. Someone else joined in. Within moments, practically every one of the assembled guests was doubled over with laughter. Larry and his ski-masked friends did not appreciate the joke.

“Shut up!” Larry screamed. “Shut up!”

Valkyrie was barely able to keep track of what happened next. The air rippled, taking one of the ski-masked men off his feet. A ball of yellow light sped towards Larry and exploded. He was flung backwards. Streams of different colours criss-crossed around the other members of the gang, slamming into them and spinning them around. The man with the dirty fingernails was the last one standing. Ghastly stepped out of the crowd beside him and took his gun away. China Sorrows, dressed in an exquisite silk gown, tapped her arm. An ornate symbol glowed on her skin for a moment, and when she touched the man he screamed and toppled over.

Everyone cheered, the music started up again and the guests got back to chatting.

China approached. “Valkyrie,” she said, “you look beautiful. I always knew there was a pretty girl underneath all those bruises.” She saw Vex and raised an eyebrow. “Dexter Vex is back in the country. All we need is Anton Shudder and Saracen Rue to show up and we’d have a Dead Men reunion right here.”

“Hello China,” Vex said, leaning forward to kiss her cheek. “Have you got over your love for me yet?”

“I take each day as it comes,” she replied, and he laughed.

The orchestra started into a waltz. China held her hand out towards Skulduggery. “They’re playing our song.”

Skulduggery looked at Valkyrie. “If you’ll excuse me…?”

She smiled. “Go right ahead.”

Skulduggery took China’s hand, and led her to the only open space in the room. Valkyrie watched him look into China’s eyes, and they began to dance, moving over and around the unconscious forms of the ski-mask gang like they weren’t even there. They danced like two people were meant to dance – with strength, grace, and passion.

“He sure can dance, can’t he?” Vex said.

Valkyrie took her eyes away from the dancing, and smiled. “He told me he could. I was a fool to doubt him.”

She looked back. She could see China’s lips move as they danced, and she wondered what they were talking about.

“I taught him everything he knows, of course,” said Vex with a nod. “Before he came to me, he had all the co-ordination of a turnip. I turned him into the dancer you see before you.”

Skulduggery dipped China, and then swung her up and she pressed against him.

“But do I get any thanks?” Vex continued. “Do I get even a nod of appreciation? No I do not. It’s quite fortunate that I don’t need other people’s approval to feel good about myself. But it would help.”

Ghastly appeared between them. “Are you still complaining about that?”